Lentil Lasagna – The Almond Eater

Straightforward vegan Lentil Lasagna makes use of french lentils as an alternative of meat, making it a hearty plant-based possibility. As well as, it is stuffed with veggies, tomato sauce, a vegan “cheese” sauce and topped with dairy-free cheese, making it a go-to consolation meals meal.

Lasagna is my love language, particularly this lentil lasagna!

See, I am all the time in search of methods to make use of lentils. My go-to’s are my lentil bolognese and my chickpea lentil curry, however this lasagna could be the coziest meal of all of them.

The lentils mimic meat, and the entire dish is so flavorful, meat eaters and vegans alike will devour this recipe. 

Recipe options

• Crammed with greens like carrots, onion, zucchini, and garlic, together with a vegan béchamel sauce as an alternative of ricotta.
• Made fairly equally to conventional lasagna, however with lentils as an alternative of beef.
• The filling could be prepped forward of time to hurry up this recipe, making this doable for weeknight meals. 

Components

• Lasagna noodles – I used conventional noodles, which I like to recommend. I examined this utilizing gluten free noodles, and it did not maintain collectively fairly as properly, so if you wish to go that route, preserve that in thoughts.
• Greens – A mixture of carrots, onion, zucchini, and garlic works splendidly and helps amp up the flavour of your complete dish. 
• Lentils – I like utilizing french lentils as a result of they’ve a bit of chew to them, and intently resemble meat. Nevertheless, you need to use brown or inexperienced lentils in the event you’re unable to seek out french lentils, simply be aware that the feel could also be barely totally different.
• Tomato sauce – A mixture of canned tomato sauce and jarred marinara sauce works properly. The tomato sauce needs to be plain, or have a couple of Italian spices within the components, and the marinara sauce could be no matter variety you would like (I used tomato basil).
• Basil – Recent basil works greatest, however you need to use dried basil in a pinch. I might use one teaspoon to begin and improve it to style. 
• Dietary yeast – For use within the “cheese sauce”/béchamel sauce and helps to present a tacky taste. No substitutions! 
• Vegan cheese – Vegan mozzarella or vegan parmesan work properly. Attempt to discover a meltable cheese in the event you can.

Step-by-step directions 

Step 1: Sauté the veggies. Warmth olive oil in a big, deep skillet over medium warmth. Add the carrots, onion and zucchini and sauté till tender. Then, add the garlic and sauté for two extra minutes.

Step 2: Make the filling. To that very same skillet, add the lentils, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, marinara sauce, water, recent basil, and crimson pepper flakes. Convey the combination to a boil, then cowl and simmer for 35-40 minutes, stirring often till the lentils are cooked.

Step 3: Prepare dinner the noodles. Whereas the filling is cooking, carry a big pot of salted water to a boil, then prepare dinner the lasagna noodles in response to the bundle directions. Drain, then lay all of them out on a clear work floor to forestall them from sticking/breaking. 

Step 4: Make the cheese sauce. Soften the butter in a small saucepan, then add the flour and whisk for 30 seconds. Pour within the milk, dietary yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and whisk till the sauce has thickened a bit and is clean. Take away from the warmth.

Step 5: Assemble. Subsequent, make the lasagna. Unfold marinara sauce within the backside of a 9×13 baking dish, then place 3 noodles on prime. Unfold HALF of the lentil combination on prime, adopted by HALF of the cheese sauce and ⅓ of the shredded vegan cheese. Repeat this similar course of for the second layer. 

For the ultimate layer, add the remaining 3 noodles, adopted by the remainder of the marinara sauce and shredded vegan cheese.

Step 6: Bake. Cowl the dish with foil, then bake the lasagna for Quarter-hour. Uncover, then bake for an extra 10-Quarter-hour or till the cheese on prime has melted. Take away, then wait at the least 10 minutes earlier than slicing. 

Suggestions and methods

• The cheese sauce is much like my wholesome alfredo sauce; in the event you’re not vegan, you possibly can (and will!) make the alfredo sauce to make use of.
• Substitutions: You can add diced butternut squash or yellow squash to the vegetable combination if you would like. 

Do it’s a must to boil lasagna noodles? 

In the event you’re utilizing conventional noodles, then sure. In the event you do not need to boil them beforehand, ensure that to buy no boil noodles. They might even be known as oven-ready noodles.

Can I make lentil lasagna upfront?

Sure! To make this recipe a bit faster, you can also make the lentil combination as much as 2 days upfront. Merely prep it, then retailer it in a sealed container within the fridge till you are prepared to make use of it. I do not suggest cooking the noodles upfront.

Storage

Fridge: Retailer lasagna in smaller containers, ensuring they’re sealed tightly. Or, retailer it within the 9×13 baking dish so long as it has a correct lid, for as much as 5 days.

Freezer: Await the lasagna to chill fully, then wrap it tightly in foil and place it within the freezer (it is okay to freeze within the baking dish). Freeze lasagna for as much as 3 months.

Wish to freeze raw lasagna? Try this text all about the right way to freeze lasagna.

Reheating: If frozen, make sure to thaw within the fridge in a single day. Bake the lasagna at 375° till it is warmed by means of. 

Extra vegan dinner recipes

In the event you made this recipe, make sure to go away a remark and star ranking under. Thanks!

Lentil Lasagna

Straightforward vegan Lentil Lasagna makes use of french lentils as an alternative of meat, making it a hearty plant-based possibility. As well as, it is stuffed with veggies, tomato sauce, a vegan “cheese” sauce and topped with dairy-free cheese, making it a go-to consolation meals meal.

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Prepare dinner Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Complete Time: 2 hours

Servings: 12 slices

Components

• 9 lasagna noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 cup yellow onion diced
• 1 zucchini diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• ½ cup french lentils (see notes for substitutions)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 14 oz. tomato sauce (1 can)
• 2 ½ cups marinara sauce divided
• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup recent basil chopped
• ½ teaspoon crimson pepper flakes
• 8 oz. shredded mozzarella or parmesan vegan

for the cheese/béchamel sauce:

• 2 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1 ½ tablespoon flour
• 1 cup almond milk or milk of alternative
• 1 ½ tablespoon dietary yeast
• ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to style

Directions

• Warmth olive oil in a big, deep skillet over medium warmth. Add the carrots, onion and zucchini and sauté till tender, about 7 minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté for two minutes.

• To that very same skillet, add the lentils, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, ½ cup of the marinara sauce, water, basil, and crimson pepper flakes. Convey the combination to a boil, then cowl, scale back warmth to a simmer and simmer the combination for 35-40 minutes, stirring often, till the lentils are cooked.

• Whereas the lentil combination is cooking, prepare dinner the lasagna noodles: carry a big pot of salted water to a boil, then prepare dinner the noodles in response to the bundle directions. Drain, then lay every noodle out flat on a clear floor to forestall them from sticking or tearing.

• Subsequent, make the cheese sauce: soften butter in a small saucepan over medium warmth, then add the flour and whisk constantly for 30 seconds. Pour within the milk, dietary yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir to mix. Convey to a low simmer, stirring often till the sauce has thickened and is clean; take away from the warmth. Now, preheat the oven to 400°.

• As soon as the lentils are tender, it is time to assemble the lasagna: Unfold 1 cup of marinara sauce on the underside of a 9×13 baking dish, then prime it with 3 lasagna noodles. Unfold HALF of the lentil combination overtop, utilizing the again of a spoon to clean it out, then add HALF of the cheese sauce on prime, adopted by ⅔ cup of the shredded vegan cheese. Subsequent, layer 3 extra lasagna noodles, adopted by the remaining lentil combination and the remaining cheese sauce, and ⅔ cup of shredded cheese. Final, prime with the ultimate 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup of marinara sauce and the remaining shredded cheese.

• Cowl the dish with foil, then bake the lasagna for Quarter-hour. Take away the foil and proceed baking till the cheese has melted, 10-Quarter-hour. Take away from the oven and wait at the least 10 minutes earlier than slicing. Take pleasure in!

Notes

*Energy are per slice and are an estimation
*Lentils: you possibly can substitute brown or inexperienced lentils in the event you favor, however the texture will likely be barely totally different. I might NOT use crimson lentils!

Vitamin

Energy: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 11g | Fats: 8g | Saturated Fats: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3g | Trans Fats: 0.01g | Ldl cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 651mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2414IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 154mg | Iron: 2mg

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